Taunton native David Simas defies congressional subpoena to testify

David Simas rose quickly through the Silver City’s political ranks, beyond Beacon Hill, and eventually landed in the Obama White House.

On Wednesday, he found himself so close to the president that he was advised by White House legal counsel to defy a congressional committee’s subpoena to testify.

Now the Taunton native finds himself on the receiving end of criticism and possible legal action from a California congressman asking whether “supporting candidates and campaign fundraising (is) an appropriate use of a government office?”

Simas now serves as assistant to the president and director of the Office of Political Strategy and Outreach.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, refused to accept or forget Simas’ failure to appear before his hearing Wednesday morning.

“This committee is obligated to shed light on the improper use of taxpayer money for political gain,” Issa said at the hearing. “Unfortunately, a key witness, Mr. Simas, who serves as the director of the White House’s political office, has chosen to defy this committee and his legal obligation to testify.”

White House Counsel Neil Eggleston put a damper on Wednesday’s House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearing, when he shipped Issa a letter Tuesday night that he drafted on Simas’ behalf.

“Last night the committee received a deeply disturbing letter from the White House counsel,” Issa said to open the hearing. “Counsel declared that as a senior advisor to the president, David Simas, a witness who had been subpoenaed to testify here today, was, and I quote, ‘immune from congressional … compulsion to testify.’ This is at odds with rulings from our judicial branch about checks and balances.”

Simas ran for Taunton School Committee at age 18. He later won a seat on Taunton City Council.

The 1992 Stonehill College and 1995 Boston College Law School graduate worked as a lawyer for the Massachusetts House of Representatives’ Post Audit and Oversight Bureau.

As Northern Bristol County’s register of deeds, Simas backed Gov. Deval Patrick’s first run for governor. Patrick named Simas deputy chief of staff after his 2006 victory.

In January 2009, Simas went to Washington, D.C., as deputy assistant to the president for special projects. He led the opinion and research efforts for Obama’s re-election campaign.

Following that win, he went back to the White House to serve as Obama’s deputy senior advisor for communications and strategy. He accepted his current title in January.

Simas’ Obama Administration knowledge spans both the campaign trail and the Oval Office.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice released its Office of Legal Counsel’s opinion on whether Simas should testify at Issa’s hearing.

The document lists several reasons why Simas is allegedly “immune from compulsion to testify before the Committee on these matters, and therefore is not required to appear to testify in response to this subpoena.”

“The Executive Branch’s longstanding position, reaffirmed by numerous Administrations of both political parties, is that the President’s immediate advisers are absolutely immune from congressional testimonial process.”

Issa contends that in January 2011, the Office of Special Counsel concluded that the White House Office of Political Affairs violated the Hatch Act, which he said was “designed to keep taxpayers from paying for political activity by government workers.”

“That same month, the White House announced the closure of its political office,” Issa said at the hearing. “In January 2014, the White House announced the reopening of its political office.”

Issa concluded the hearing by leaving his next move open-ended.

“Mr. Simas’ testimony is critically important and we are going to attempt to clarify whether or not President Obama intends to invoke Executive Privilege before considering our next course of action.”

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